Rattray receives his chance

Press, 18 December 1981, Page 15

Rattray receives his chance

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

When Christchurch cricketers were sorting out their thoughts about the composition of the Canterbury Shell Series team, a good many of them were keen to have David Stead as one of the opening batsmen. A replacement was needed for Barry Hadlee, and Stead’s promotion would have provided an avenue for the inclusion of both Bryan Ritchie, a successful batsman last season, and Richard Leggat, a firecracker of a cricketer whose skills and aggression — batting, bowling or fielding — did much to help Canterbury to its very good season. But Peter Rattray of Old Boys would have none of this. He had made one — his first — appearance for Canterbury last summer, he was an established opening club batsman, and with the withdrawal of Hadlee, his chance was there.

Stead was an opening batsman when his career began for Canterbury, but he had appeared much lower in the order in recent seasons. His interest in the opening position was there, however, and he has been going in first in recent club matches.

Rattray made the selectors’ problem a particularly

difficult one. Perhaps he had a little luck here and there, and certainly his calling was not without fault: but his preselection string of club scores — 83, 42 not out, 41,13 not out, 71, 27, 25, 45 and 31 — put him well in front of other senior batsmen.

To underline the point he was making, Rattray scored heavily in trial games, and already this summer has well over 500 runs to his credit The selectors would have found it very difficult to have left him out.

Rattray has been through the right channels, with Canterbury representation at Rothman’s level. In his only representative match last season, he scored a brisk 25. His advance in senior cricket, from its beginning in 1976-77, has been steady. He made an unbeaten half-cen-tury in his first senior appearance, and after two seasons of moderate success, he scored mearly 1000 runs in the next two.

Rattray is an attractive batsman to watch, with an array of firm shots. He is quick in the field. He has more going for him than that. He has determination, and the very fact that he is under pressure is likely to bring the best out of him.

With David Dempsey as his opening partner, there may well be a need for a show of solidity from Rattray. That could very well work to the advantage of the Canterbury team.